In this week's Mercury:
Drivers who deliberately cause damage to the lower Demesnes, Barnard Castle, will be hit in the pocked, say town councillors
Botanist Dr Margaret Bradshaw has completed her latest trek to raise money for survey work into the dale's rarest plants
Vandals who ripped out a bench at a Barnard Castle beauty spot have been condemned
A county councillor from Buckinghamshire has been selected as the Tory candidate to fight the Bishop Auckland constituency in the forthcoming general election
An emergency exercise is being planned for the upper dale to test its response if disaster strikes
The former commodore of Teesdale Sailing Club has published his autobiography – from growing up the son of a serviceman to working as a police surgeon
In sport, Barney rugby player Guy Pepper made his debut for England A, while in football, Evenwood Town bowed out of the county cup
Plus... Mercury Motors with Ian Lamming; community news, What's On – including the events guide; farming update, family notices, all your letters and much more...
Only in this week's Mercury which is out now
